Electric auto window safety device



March 23, 1965 R. H. BOWERS 3,174,743

ELECTRIC AUTO WINDOW SAFETY DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1962 7 I INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,174,743 ELECTRIC AUTO WINDOW SAFETY DEVICE R. H.Bowers, 31171 Elmwood Ave., Garden City, Mich. Filed Oct. 16, 1962, Ser.No. 230,861 3 Claims. (Cl. 268-124) This invention relates generally tothe operation of electrically controlled vehicle windows, and morespecifically to a pressure sensitive switching device for preventingdamage to the mechanism and damage from accidental finger entrapment.

The conventional electrically controlled vehicle window is a potentialhazard where children are involved, and very unpleasant accidents canresult from accidental finger entrapment during the closing of suchwindows. Further, other obstructions which may inadvertently preventclosure of the window can result in costly damage being caused to themechanism which operates the window. My invention is directed towardsthe provision of a pressure sensing control mechanism which willautomatically reverse the direction of movement of the window uponmeeting an obstruction which creates resistance greater than a certainpre-fixed figure. I have accomplished the above improvement by providinga pressure plate which is located between the lower edge of the glasspane and its original channel. This pressure plate contains a switchmechanism which upon overload results in reversing the direction ofmovement of the window, thereby preventing damage to the equipment or towhatever is obstructing the free upward movement of the Window.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide anelectric window safety device which performs to protect the mechanismand the occupants of the vehicle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide certain new anduseful improvements to a conventional electrically operated automobilewindow by aifording increased safety in operation.

A full understanding of the construction of this invention, togetherwith further novel features and advantages, will be had from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, takenin conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a pressure plate shown partly in crosssection, and also indicating diagrammatically the wiring circuitinvolved in this invention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the pressure plate constructed inaccordance with my invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing how the pressure plate is mountedto the lower edge of a vehicle window pane.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 represents thepressure plate which is formed in channel section and has downwardlyextending parallel skirts 6. Extending longitudinally along the top ofthe pressure plate is a raised channel section 7 which may be designedto receive the lower framing rib 8 of a conventional auto window 9, ormay receive the lower edge of the glass pane directly. A base channel 10is disposed in vertical sliding relationship inwardly of the twoparallel skirts 6 of the pressure plate and has vertical sides 11 forsuch sliding engagement. The pressure plate and base channel aremaintained in an overlapping relationship by means of four bolts 12which loosely extend in a vertical manner through the pressure plate andbase channel at each end thereof. Longitudinal movement between thepressure plate and the base channel is prevented by means of two posts13 which are mounted on ice the underside of the pressure plate inwardlyof each end and extend into vertical sleeves 14 which project inalignment with the posts and are secured on the inner side of the basechannel 10. A coiled compression spring 15 surrounds the posts 13 andthe sleeves 14 to restrain downward movement of the pressure platerelative to the base channel.

Mounted centrally of the base channel 10 is a double pole double throwpush button locking switch 16 which has a vertically projectingactuating button 17. The actuating button may be mechanically depressedby downward movement of the pressure plate in response to an obstructionor may be actuated by a solenoid 18 which forms an integral part of theswitch. The actuating button 17 is threaded as indicated at 19 so as topermit adjustment relative to the pressure plate 5, thereby permittingthe sensitivity of the switch to be modified to compensate for theweight of the window and the tripping resistance desired.

The present invention is adapted for use in connection with conventionalelectrically operated vehicle window lifting mechanisms. Such mechanismsinclude a reversible electric motor (not shown) which pivots an arm .34which carries a roller 24. The arm 34 extends through a slot in atubular member 36 with the roller 24 being positioned within the tubularmember 36. The member 36 is secured to the lower surface of the basechannel When the motor is energized to pivot the arm 34 in the clockwisedirection as viewed in FIGURE 1, the roller 24 rolls along the uppersurface 38 causing the window 9 to rise. Conversely, when the arm 34 is:pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction, the roller 24 rolls alongthe lower surface 40 causing thewindow 9 to be retracted.

A control switching system (not shown) is provided in the vehicle doorfor connecting the electric motor to power. The control switching systemincludes an up control switch and a down control switch. These switchesare connected to power via leads 52, 54 indicated in circuit 27. Manualactuation of the up control switch causes the motor to rotate to raisethe window and actuation of the down control switch causes the motor torotate in the opposite direction to lower the window.

The electrical circuit may be best described in conjunction with theoperation of the device. During upward movement of the Window, and uponmeeting an obstruction the button 17 will be depressed and the doublethrow switch 16 will open the terminals 20 and thereby, via leads 42,44, break the circuit to the up control switch which is connected inseries therewith and indicated at 21. Simultaneously the terminals 22will be closed and such closure will actuate the down control switch andcircuit indicated at 23, the leads 46, 48 being connected across thedown control switch. The direction of movement of the window is thusreversed by the overloading resulting from the obstruction. When thewindow is being raised or lowered by actuation of the roller 24, anormally open single pole single throw lever action switch 25 ismomentarily closed. It will be noted that the switch 25 is convenientlymounted adjacent the end of the tube member 36 with plunger 50 extendinginto the path of the roller 24. Power entering at 26 will actuate thesolenoid 18 via leads 56, 58, 60. When the roller 24 passes the switch25 the solenoid power is cut off and the switch 16 is thus reloaded toits original position as indicated in FIG. 1. Thus when the window isretracted after being raised, the terminals 20 of switch 16 will beclosed and the terminals 22 will be opened. This condition of switch 16is necessary to permit subsequent raising of the window. In order toavoid window reversal during the final stages of window closure as aresult of actuation of pressure plate 5, the roller 24 engages plunger62 of a switch 28 which is a double pole single throw switch. The switch28 is mounted at the end of tubular member 36 with the plunger 62extending thereinto. This switch is thrown just before the windowreaches the top of its travel and completes another circuit before thecircuit including switch 16 is actuated to cause opening of the window.As will be appreciated from the drawing, depression of the plunger 62 ofswitch 28 closes normally open contacts 29 and opens normally closedcontacts 3t). Leads 64, 66 extend from contacts 29 and-when contacts 29are closed serve to maintain the up control switch circuit 21 closedafter the contact 20 of switch 16 have been opened. Contacts 30 ofswitch 28 are in series with leads 46, 68. Thus, when contacts 22 ofswitch 16 are closed, the circuit 23 across the down control switch isstill maintained open by the open contacts 30. An overload switch 31 maybe incorporated in series with the 'control switch 27 as indicated inthe drawing.

Having described the invention in a preferred form, it will beappreciated that some modifications may be made to the preciseconfiguration, without departing from the scope or spirit of theinvention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

I. A safety device for an electrically operated vehicle window having anup control device and a down control device, comprising a pressureswitch having a set of normally closed contacts for connection in serieswith the up control device and a set of normally open contacts forconnection across the down control device, switch actuating meansresponsive to pressure applied thereto to open the normally closedcontacts and close the normally open contacts to activate the downcontrol device and de-activate the up control device, and an electricalsolenoid in the pressure switch operatively connected to the switchactuating means to reset the switch to its 4 normal position, and meansto energize the electrical solenoid.

2. A safety device for an electrically operated vehicle window having anup control device and a down control device, comprising a double polepressure switch having a set of normally closed contacts for connectionin series with the up control device and a set of normally open contactsfor connection across the down control device, means to mount thepressure switch on the lower edge of the vehicle window, said pressureswitch including relatively movable members, resilient means biasing therelatively movable members apart, a switching member on the pressureswitch operated by movement of the relatively movable members togetherto close the normally open contacts and open the normally closedcontacts to activate the down control device and de-activate the upcontrol device, and an electrical solenoid in the pressure switchoperatively connected to the switching member to reset the switch to itsnormal position, and means to energize the electrical solenoid.

3. A device according to claim 1 and further characterized in theprovision of a second switching device having a set of normally opencontacts connected across the normally closed set of contacts of thepressure switch and a set of normally closed contacts connected inseries with the normally open contacts of the pressure switch, switchactuating means in the second switch operative prior to window closureto close the normally open contacts of the second switch and open thenormally closed contacts thereof to thus de-activate the pressureswitch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,792,420 2/31Forman ZOO-61.71 2,881,378 4/59 Russell 318283 2,911,212 11/59 Forster268--125 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner,

1. A SAFETY DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED VEHICLE WINDOW HAVING ANUP CONTROL DEVICE AND A DOWN CONTROL DEVICE, COMPRISING A PRESSURESWITCH HAVING A SET OF NORMALLY CLOSED CONTACTS FOR CONNECTION IN SERIESWITH THE UP CONTROL DEVICE AND A SET OF NORMALLY OPEN CONTACTS FORCONNECTION ACROSS THE DOWN CONTROL DEVICE, SWITCH ACTUATING MEANSRESPONSIVE TO PRESSURE APPLIED THERETO TO OPEN THE NORMALLY CLOSEDCONTACTS AND CLOSE THE NORMALLY OPEN CONTACTS TO ACTIVATE THE DOWNCONTROL DEVICE AND DE-ACTIVE THE UP CONTROL DEVICE, AND AN ELECTRICALSOLENOID IN THE PRESSURE SWITCH OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SWITCHACTUATING MEANS TO RESET THE SWITCH TO ITS NORMAL POSITION, AND MEANS TOENERGIZE THE ELECTRICAL SOLENOID.